Most people pick a boat by looking at photographs. That works until you are twelve people on a six-person base price, or two people paying for a catamaran deck you cannot fill.
Pick by group size first. Everything else follows.
The quick answer
| Your group | Boat | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 2–6 | Private boat | Base price covers you exactly. Nothing wasted. |
| 2–6, wanting shade and a bathroom | Luxury yacht | Air conditioning, indoor shower, somewhere to escape the sun. |
| 7–14 | Private boat or yacht | Both take 14. Extra-guest charges decide which is cheaper. |
| 11–40 | Catamaran with slide | The only boat in the fleet that goes past 14. |
| Any size, when the boat is the point | 65ft Fairline Targa GT | Retractable hardtop, air-conditioned saloon, hydraulic swim platform. |
The four boats, honestly
The private boat — from $1,450
This is the workhorse and, for most groups, the right answer. Four hours for $1,450 covering up to six guests, extra guests at $75, maximum fourteen. The full day is $2,500 and adds a Caribbean meal prepared by a private chef.
Good at: getting in and out of the water constantly. Sandbars, snorkelling, beach hopping, moving between stops quickly.
Less good at: shade. There is cover, but this is an open boat and four hours of Caribbean sun is four hours of Caribbean sun. If anyone in your group burns easily or cannot be in heat, read the yacht section.
The luxury yacht — from $2,500
Same maximum of fourteen guests, same four or seven hours, a different day entirely. What the extra $1,050 buys on the half day: an air-conditioned interior lounge, shaded deck seating, an onboard bathroom and an indoor shower. Champagne and gourmet snacks are included.
Good at: long days, hot days, mixed groups where not everybody wants to be in the water, anyone who needs a bathroom they do not have to think about, and toddlers who need somewhere cool to sleep.
Less good at: value, if your group is going to be swimming the whole time anyway.
The catamaran with slide — from $2,700
The capacity answer. Up to forty guests, with the base price covering ten and extra guests at $150. Half day $2,700, full day $4,900, sunset $2,000. There is a water slide off the deck, which is used at anchor during swim stops.
Here is the thing people miss: on a per-person basis, the catamaran becomes the cheapest boat we run once your group passes about twelve. Twenty people on the half-day catamaran is $4,200 before tax, or $210 each. Twenty people cannot fit on any other boat in the fleet.
Good at: weddings, birthdays, corporate days, multi-family trips, teenagers. Stable in chop, which matters if anyone is prone to seasickness.
Less good at: covering distance. A catamaran is slower than a yacht, so a full day reaches fewer places.
The 65ft Fairline Targa GT — from $7,500
The largest private charter we run, for up to sixteen guests, departing Blue Haven Marina. Half day $7,500, full day $13,500, sunset $4,700.
What is actually different: a retractable hardtop that opens the saloon to the sky or closes and air-conditions it, a bow sundeck and a separate aft sun lounge, indoor and outdoor dining, a full galley, multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, and a hydraulic swim platform — you step into the water rather than climbing a ladder.
That last detail matters more than it sounds. If anyone in your group is older, pregnant, recovering from surgery or simply not confident on a boat ladder, the swim platform is the difference between swimming and watching.
Good at: milestone occasions, guests who will spend the day on the boat rather than in the water, and crossing the Caicos Banks comfortably on a full day.
Where the cheaper boat stops being cheaper
Half-day prices for a group of fourteen, before tax:
| Boat | Calculation | Total | Per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private boat | $1,450 + 8 × $75 | $2,050 | $146 |
| Luxury yacht | $2,500 + 8 × $125 | $3,500 | $250 |
| Catamaran | $2,700 + 4 × $150 | $3,300 | $236 |
At fourteen the standard boat is still comfortably the cheapest. The catamaran only wins on price once you are past fourteen, which is also the point at which it becomes your only option.
Three questions that settle it
- How many people, exactly? Over fourteen and the catamaran is the answer, full stop.
- Will everyone be in the water? If yes, the standard boat. If some of your group will sit on deck for four hours, buy the shade.
- Does anyone need a bathroom, air conditioning or an easy way into the sea? Then the yacht or the 65ft, not the standard boat.
Still not sure? Tell us the group — ages, swimmers, anyone with mobility or heat issues — and we will tell you which boat we would put you on. We would rather place you right than sell you up.
Common questions
Can we move up to a bigger boat after booking?
Subject to availability, yes. Group sizes change; tell us as soon as you know.
Is the catamaran steadier than the boat?
Generally yes. Two hulls make for less roll at anchor and in chop, which is why we often suggest it for groups with anyone prone to seasickness.
Do all the boats go to the same places?
Broadly, but not exactly. Routes depend on the boat, the hours you book, the weather and the sea state on the day. The faster yachts reach North and Middle Caicos comfortably on a full day; the catamaran covers less ground.
What is the maximum on each boat?
Fourteen on the private boat and the luxury yacht, sixteen on the 65ft Fairline, and forty on the catamaran.
